Agitator



Dec. 3, 1929. E 'BQND AGITATOR Filed March 5, 1928 Patented Dec. 3,1929

UNITED STATES JOSEPH E. BOND, OF APIEETUN, WISCONSIN Application filedMarch 5, 1928. Serial No. 259,090. g

M invention relates to the art of paper making and particularly to meansfor agi tating paper pulp.

In the development of the art it has been found possible to greatlyincrease the capacity of a given equipment by increasing the density(or, in other words, lessening the fluidity) of the pulp during itstreatment preceding delivery to the Fourdriniers.

While in the old practice a 2 pulp was considered proper and of themaximum density possible, it is now common to deal with 6% solutions,with correspondingly increased production capacity.

However, many diflicult problems are encountered in handling pulp ofthis density due to its lack of fluidity and its tendency to mass orcake in the storage or treatment tanks and containers. This tendency isinherent 2 in the nature of the material under treatment due to itsfibrous character and to the physical law of attraction of solids. Theliquid within which the solids are carried serves merely as a supportingmedium therefor and facilitates rather than hinders the massing andintertwining of the fibers.

, To avoid massing and stratifying of the pulp inthe liquid and tomaintain a uniform density throughout the entire body of material itmust be kept in motion and the motion producing means should have atendency to break up and tear apart any large or small masses of pulp.In the old practice the mixture was kept in motion by means of paddles0r impellers in the tank, but this apparatus had very little tendency tobreak up masses of pulp, and was wholly ineflective with stock ofincreased density. Furthermore, such apparatus required an outlay ofpower not commensurate with the results secured.

The tanks, chests or containers which are in place and must be utilizedfor the new plan of operation are of many and varied forms, all of greatsize, some narrow and of great length, some deep and some round. Theproblem has been, therefore, to provide means applicable .to thesevarious forms of tanks that, would insure efiective circulation, thebreaking up of pulp masses and the maintenance at all times of a properconsistency throughout the whole volume of material, with a minimum ofpower expenditure.

The invention will be more readily understood by reierence to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a lay-outconstructed'in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation. In the drawings I have illustrated a charg-;mg chest or tank'approximately 8O feetin length and having side walls10, 11 and end walls 12, 13. Extending longitudinally within the tankand substantially centrally-- thereof is a wall 14 dividing the tankinto two compartments of substantially equal cross sectional area. Atthe ends of the wall,

14, I provide deflectors 15 which serve to. break up the currents andadd to the agitating efi'e ct. l

Located exteriorly of the tank and at a; point substantially mid-waybetween its ends is a screw pump 16 preferably positioned at a levelconsiderably below the floor of the chest. An inlet pipe 17 for the pumpcommunicates with one of the compartments through the,

iloor of the tank and a discharge pipe 18 ex tends upwardly from thepump alongside of the tank and thence laterally to a point over theadjacent compartment.

The arrangement is such that with a quantity of pulp in the tank it isdrawn into the pump and discharged upwardly and horizontally where itfalls by gravity into the adjacent tank, both the inlet and dischargepipes being at a pointsubstantially midway of the 1 length of the chest.

Inasmuch as the two compartments are in communication at the ends of thedivision wall, the pulp is not only broken up, but is caused to flow inboth directions from the motion and is agitated in a suitable manner atthe time it passes through the screw pump. Obviously modifications maybe made in the construction shown and I do not wish to be limited exceptas indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a relatively long narrow tank, a wall thereinextending lengthwise thereof and dividing the space within the tank intotwo compartments in communication attheir ends, a pump locatedsubstantially midway between the ends of the tank and below the same, apump inlet pipe connected to the bottom of one compartment and a pumpoutlet pipe discharging into the top of the other compartment.

2. In combination, a narrow tank, a longitudinal division wallterminating short of the ends of the tank and dividing the tank into twocompartments in open communication at their ends, a pump midway betweenthe ends of the tank and below the same, a pipe extending from a pointnear the bottom of one compartment to the pump inlet and a sec- 0nd pipeconnected to the outlet from the pump and emptying into the top of theother compartment.

3. In combination, a long and narrow container, a longitudinal wallterminating short of the ends of the container and dividing the sameinto two compartments of substantially equal size, a pump having aninlet pipe connected to the bottom of one compartment and an outlet ipeconnected to discharge into the top of the adjacent compartment, saidinlet and outlet pipes being located substantially midway between theends of the container.

4. In combination, a narrow tank, a longitudinal division wallterminating short of the ends of the tank and dividing the tank into twocompartments in open communication at their ends, a pump midway betweenthe ends of the tank and below the same, a pipe extending from a pointnear the bottom of one compartment to the pump inlet, and a ump outletpipe extending upwardly alon 1de of the tank and over the top thereof anterminating above the second compartment.

In testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature.

JOSEPH E. BOND.

